The Latest Breaking News from Ruth Perry

Headteacher’s suicide has led to calls for reform but chief inspector says one-word grades ‘integral’

Amanda Spielman described the gradings, which range from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’, as ‘integral’ to the school system.

It comes amid growing pressure to reform the present grading system - which has been dubbed too simplistic and fails to reflect the complexity of a school and its teaching quality.

Ruth Perry killed herself in January while awaiting an Ofsted report which downgraded her school.

The school inspectorate in England, Ofsted, has faced criticism recently following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. According to her family, Perry’s death was a “direct result” of the pressure resulting from the Ofsted inspection process which resulted in her school being judged as “inadequate”.

Gillian Keegan said single-word ratings are ‘clear’ and ‘easy for parents to navigate’.

It follows the death of a headteacher who took her own life while awaiting an Ofsted report which downgraded her school from the highest possible rating to the lowest

Martin Hudson led calls for the abolition of Ofsted at the NASUWT trade union conference

Conference accuses inspectorate of ‘mercilessly bullying’ teachers and follows NEU in calling for change

A motion at the NASUWT conference called for the inspection system to be abolished in its ‘current form’ and immediate inspections to be halted

A headteacher lays bare the personal and professional toll of England's Ofsted school inspection regime in Neal Keeling's in-depth report